Parks Canada Centennial Celebration is a Natural Choice for Royal Canadian Mint's 2011 Silver Dollar

Ottawa, Ontario, January 4, 2011 – The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce that its first collector coin of the year, the 2011 Silver Dollar, is dedicated to celebrating the 100th anniversary of Parks Canada. This flagship of the Mint's annual collector coin program honours Canada's "grandparents of green" who, a century ago, made it their mission to preserve Canada's natural beauty for the enjoyment of future generations. By creating the world's first national parks system, Canada has made nature conservation a prized Canadian value and inspired countries around the world to protect their unique wilderness regions. This exciting new Silver Dollar is available in a Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated finish, as a well as in a selectively gold-plated version found exclusively in the Mint's 2011 Proof Set.

"The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to celebrate Canada's heritage, culture and values through beautifully crafted collector coins and we are delighted that our 2011 Proof Silver Dollar honour Parks Canada's priceless role in preserving Canada's natural wonders over the last 100 years," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Canada's flora and fauna have prominently figured on Royal Canadian Mint coinage since we struck our first coin in 1908 and we are proud to continue celebrating Canada's love of the great outdoors on this coin and many more to follow".

"One hundred years ago, Canada became the first country in the world to create a service entirely dedicated to the protection of national parks. The year ahead will be a time for Canadians to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Parks Canada and our country's international leadership in protecting and presenting our collective heritage," said Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada. "I am delighted to kick off this year of celebrations with the launch of this beautiful coin – a great illustration of the splendour of Canada, an endless source of inspiration for us all."

Designed by Quebec artist Luc Normandin, the rich imagery of this coin evokes Parks Canada's role in conserving Canada's flora and fauna. Four endangered ecological treasures are cradled in the hands of a young Canadian: a Whooping Crane (Grus americana), the Southern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), a Western Fringed Prairie Orchid (Platanthera praeclara) and a Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus).

The Dominion Parks Branch—known today as Parks Canada—was founded in 1911, and mandated to conserve Canada's unrivalled wilderness for Canadians to explore, and enjoy through the world's first system of national parks. From these seeds of sustainable thinking, Canada has—through the innovation of Parks Canada—nurtured a legacy of conservation that has blossomed to include 300,000 square kilometres of land and places protected by an immense system of 42 National Parks, 167 National Historical Sites, and four National Marine Conservation Areas.

Parks Canada also oversees ten of Canada's fourteen UNESCO world heritage sites, from the Viking settlements of Newfoundland's L'Anse aux Meadows to the North Coast Mountains of Kluane National Park and Reserve.

The same design is reproduced on a selectively gold-plated proof dollar coin, which is exclusive to the Mint's 2011 Proof Set. Only 45,000 sets, with a retail price of $114.95 CDN, are available world-wide.

These 2011 Silver Dollar products are available directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors.

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit. www.mint.ca

You can be assured that the Mint fully guarantees the superior quality and craftsmanship of its products. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you can simply return it to us in its original packaging within 30 days and we will gladly offer you a replacement (subject to product availability) or send you a full refund. In the case of a defective product, we will accept the return up to one year from the date of purchase.